No success this time

Saturday, September 10, 2011

No success this time

Today, 10th September 2011, we performed the first birding trip of the 'Chasula'. 14 people (12 participants plus skipper and sailor) started at O Grove harbour at 7:30 facing W to the Sálvora archipelago. However, at Sagres area (near Aguiño), waves and wind (stronger than forecast said) were too heavy for going beyond these islands. Skipper decided to stay off the E shore of Sálvora island, where 'chumming' was performed before going back to O Grove harbour around 12:30 h.

It was a sad back trip, as we wanted to visit three points offshore (8-12 nm from Sálvora). Perhaps in another trip...

List of recorded species, including birds attending chum and seen travelling along the S shore of the ría. Highlights in bold:

- Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus): 3 (chum) + 1 (travelling)
- Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea): 6 (chum) + 4 (travelling)
- Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus): 10 (chum) + 10 (travelling)
- Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus): 1 (chum)
- Storm-petrel (Hydrobatidae): 1 (travelling)
- Atlantic Gannet (Morus bassanus): 3 (chum) + 30 (travelling)
- European Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis): 150 (travelling)
- Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus): 2 (travelling)
- Sanderling (Calidris alba): 1 (travelling)
- Dunlin (Calidris alpina): 3 (travelling)
- Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres): 1 (travelling)
- Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus): 50 (chum) + 30 (travelling)
- Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis): 100 (chum) + 250 (travelling)
- Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus): 10 (travelling)
- Common Tern (Sterna hirundo): 6 (chum) + 3 (travelling)
- Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandvicensis): 2 (travelling)

Some photos: